FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method for storing data, in particular adaptation data, in memory, in which the data are read out of a first, volatile memory and stored in a second, nonvolatile memory.
In order to execute control programs, a control unit requires data, in particular control data, which are written into a read only memory (ROM) as basic data, for instance by a motor vehicle manufacturer. During the service life of a control unit, the operating parameters of the apparatus, in particular the internal combustion engine, to be controlled by the control unit vary, so that data are ascertained on an ongoing basis and stored in a memory as adaptation data, which are then accessed instead of the basic data by the control unit. In this way, it becomes possible to adapt the control programs to changes in the operating parameters of the apparatus to be controlled.
It is already known to store the adaptation data in alternation in various memory regions. Each time data are stored in a predetermined memory region in a backup data block, backup data are stored, and the backup data stored in the previous storing operation are erased. The more often the data are stored, the greater is the likelihood that an error will occur upon storage in the memory.